Skip to main content
Kevin Murphy

FREE.HOLD

Styler / Paste, medium-hold

  • Styler
  • paste
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size100 gusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$35seen at one store · 3.53 oz
Price / oz$9.92/ozat 3.53 oz
Where to buy1 store

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

Notes: bergamot, moss, patchouli, vanilla, yerba mate.

“An earthy green blend of bergamot, smoky yerba mate and patchouli, softened with moss and vanilla.” (Brand page)

Strength: Strong

Manufacturer page: kevinmurphy.com.au

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.

  • About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
  • Every product matched against your hair across the 23 factors we check.
  • A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
  • Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
  • Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.

$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates

$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.

Start your consultation

Upper-mid price for a paste

$9.92/oz at 3.53 oz, more than 66% of the 197 pastes , which mostly run $4.92–11.75/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Aerosol avoidancea pump or tube, not a pressurised can

Maybe skip if

this product has a strong scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Hold (as stated) Medium

A medium hold, as stated by the brand.

Hold system Mixed

Gums and synthetic polymers together.

Cast risk Unlikely

Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Fast-drying alcohol Present

Contains fast-drying alcohol, which speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterWater (Aqua) (Eau) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Petrolatum sealant Seals moisture in Heavy
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) Softens
Lanolin WaxLanolin Wax (Lanolin Cera) (Cire de Lanoline) film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Buildup
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 emollient Softens and smooths the strand Heavy
VP/VA Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
PVP film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) WaxCopernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax (Cera Carnauba) (Cire de carnauba) wax Holds shape and adds weight Buildup
Ozokerite film former A supporting film former Buildup
Alcohol Denat. drying alcohol A small amount, for fast setting Drying
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil fragrance The scent Fragrance
Pogostemon Cablin Oil botanical extract A trace plant extract Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or silicones. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. Contains heavier butters.
Full ingredient list (27)

In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.

  • 1 Water · Water (Aqua) (Eau)
    General function

    The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    • solvent
  • 2 Petrolatum
    General function

    A heavy sealing agent that locks moisture in and takes detergent to remove.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    • sealant
    • emollient
  • 3 Cetearyl Alcohol
    General function

    A waxy fatty alcohol - nothing like drying alcohol. It gives conditioners their body and leaves a soft, smoothing film on the hair.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    DependsFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 4 Lanolin Wax · Lanolin Wax (Lanolin Cera) (Cire de Lanoline)
    General function

    The solid fraction of lanolin, used to give balms body and hold.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    • film former
    • sealant
    • wax
  • 5 Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
    General function

    A rich, lanolin-like emollient used in balms for a soft, sealing finish.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 6 VP/VA Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 7 PVP
    General function

    A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    The film takes up water from the air. The patent work that produced the VP/VA copolymers describes a PVP film turning sticky after time in a humid atmosphere, and being dependable only where humidity is low — so hold and feel both move with the weather.

    PubChem
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 8 Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax · Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax (Cera Carnauba) (Cire de carnauba)
    General function

    A hard palm wax that gives firm hold and shine.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Waxes do not dissolve in water. They need a detergent wash to come off, and they are the classic cause of a coated feel.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.

    • wax
    • film former
  • 9 Ozokerite
    General function

    A mineral wax used to give balms and pomades their firm structure.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    PubChem
    • film former
    • sealant
    • wax
  • 10 Propylene Glycol
    General function

    A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • solvent
  • 11 Ceteareth-25
    • emulsifier
  • 12 Diethylhexyl Maleate
    • emollient
    • light ester
  • 13 PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 14 Alcohol Denat.
    General function

    Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 15 Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 16 Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil
    General function

    Bergamot oil, used as a bright citrus fragrance note.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
    • botanical extract
  • 17 Pogostemon Cablin Oil
    General function

    Patchouli essential oil, used as an earthy fragrance note.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.

    • botanical extract
    • essential oil
    • fragrance
  • 18 Hydrogenated Polydecene
    General function

    A synthetic light emollient used for slip that does not go rancid.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    • emollient
  • 19 Trideceth-10
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 20 Peg-10 Soy Sterol
    • emulsifier
  • 21 Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
    • thickener
    • polymer
  • 22 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 23 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • emollient
  • 24 Fragrance · Fragrance (Parfum)
    General function

    An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 25 Evernia Furfuracea (Treemoss) Extract
  • 26 Limonene
    General function

    A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 27 Linalool
    General function

    A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen

What the whole list adds up to

  • 6 emollients
  • 5 film formers
  • 5 fragrances
  • 4 sealants
  • 4 emulsifiers
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 waxs
  • 3 polymers
  • 3 botanical extracts
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 solubilizers
  • 2 preservatives
  • 2 named fragrance allergens
  • 1 fatty alcohol

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 3.53 oz

Seen at $35 1 store · checked Oct 15
Good value under $14 Under $3.90/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $14 line; products that do this job typically go for about $19 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 3.53 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Seen at $35 is the price we have observed for the 3.53 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $14 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $3.90/oz; at 3.53 oz that is $14. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $19 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3.53 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

The formula carries the systems a paste is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for pastes per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • 5 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 66% of the 197 pastes we’ve priced
  • Covers 6 of the 6 things a paste should do
  • Salon tier, sold at Brand website and Salons
  • A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
  • Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
  • No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

American CrewLowest cost per oz Forming Cream $3.21/oz $6.71/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
· Same function
Differs
  • Masstige tier
  • 3 oz bottle
Compare
d:fiSame function D:Sculpt High Hold Sculpting Cream with Low Shine $3.77/oz $6.15/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
Differs
  • Drugstore tier
  • 2.6 oz bottle
Compare
d:fiClose function D:struct Medium Hold Molding Cream with Low Shine $4.15/oz $5.77/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
Function
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 2.6 oz bottle
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget

Built for curly to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein, for a protein-free formula and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or very dry or high-damage hair

Best alternative if not

Consider American Crew Forming Cream, for similar results at a lower price

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.

1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
2
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Enhances shine

Light esters can add a little gloss without a full shine system.

  • Petrolatum
  • Lanolin Wax
  • Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Partly supported

A hint of gloss.

Flexible hold

Softening ingredients sit alongside the hold polymers, which is what keeps a film flexible.

  • Petrolatum
  • Cetearyl Alcohol
  • Lanolin Wax
Supported

Natural movement without stiffness.

natural-looking shine

Light esters can add a little gloss without a full shine system.

  • Petrolatum
  • Lanolin Wax
  • Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Partly supported

A hint of gloss.

Refines texture

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Thickening

Heavy emollients sit high in the list, which usually works against lift.

  • Petrolatum
  • Lanolin Wax
  • Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Potential conflict

Likely to weigh hair down.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.

Reviewers praise a flexible all-day hold that stays natural, with a modest shine, no flaking and no crunch, and that washes out easily.

mostly short-haired and straight-haired reviewers, men and women

Reviewers with thick, coarse or older hair said it did not hold their style as well as they expected.

thick-haired reviewers and an older user

The fragrance divides reviewers, with several calling it lovely and others finding it overwhelming, unpleasant or noticeably changed.

reviewers commenting on scent

More from Kevin Murphy

How this page was made

  • Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 2 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-10-17.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 17 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
  • We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v23. Record last updated 2026-10-17.

Hair Care Consultation

A care plan made for your hair and goals, then follow-up questions and plan updates.

  • Answers to your hair concerns
  • Formula-based product picks
  • Routines for your lifestyle and preferences
  • Updates for weather, needs and goals

$49with 60 days of follow-ups

Start my consultation